Referees
The weather was muggy, heavy and oppressive the mood in the Springbok camp morbid, heavy and oppressive and the two hour bus ride to Wanganui felt murderously long and oppressively uncomfortable. Unexpected and naughty humor from Hannes Marais lightened the day whose post test melancholy –worsened by hangovers of varying degrees of profundity- was deepened by the frigidity of the weather all over New Zealand. Continue reading
Hello friends,
A full year has passed since we started blogging on our home, www.rugby-talk.com
The year flew fast indeed.
Friends,
Birthday celebrations are in order for Rugby-Talk today, we’re a year old, TODAY!!
Happy, happy… and a big thank you!
For the best part of Victor Matfield’s playing career, opponents have attempted to find some way of stopping him – and for the most part they’ve failed, according Wallabies forward Dean Mumm.
By RUPERT GUINNESS – Sydney Morning Herald
Springbok coach Peter de Villiers acknowledged that his team owed South Africa “a big one” after their poor performances in Australia and New Zealand of late.
Article by Brenden Nel – SuperSport
The Western Force have insisted that Head Coach John Mitchell will be staying with them for the 2011 Super 15 season and will not be moving to the Lions in South Africa.
The Melbourne Rebels officially launched their brand-logo and jersey at the Weary Dunlop Luncheon on 29 July 2010.
They have now also made the Logo available to the Media.
Industrial strikes in South Africa have forced the Springboks to cancel a coaching clinic which was planned for Soweto on Thursday afternoon.
With the Rugby World Cup 2011 not far away and the realisation that within the next year many of our rugby players will look towards retirement after the RWC, the question beckons of how well are we prepared for the next generation of Springboks to come through. Continue reading
With Peter de Villiers having announced and clearly favoured a conservative approach in naming his broader Springbok training group, it leaves most of us wondering just how close certain uncapped players and youngsters are for inclusion in future Bokke training groups.
Johannesburg – All SANZAR disciplinary questions are now firmly behind the Springbok team and management, national teams manager Andy Marinos announced. Continue reading
Friends, muppits, moepels & mopkoppe,
Rugby-Talk is officially in it’s 52nd week of it’s existence… Friday 13 August we are 1 year old!
The Australian team currently have seven players out of their squad for various reasons. Quade Cooper, Digby Ioane, Wycliff Palu, James Horwill, Rob Horne, Ben Alexander and Tatafu Polota-Nau. Continue reading
A nice old Blue Bull story. Hero Lourens turns 86.
With the Springbok Tri-Nations hopes over, how should they approach their remaining three home fixtures?
Survey Results now added
Build-up and teams
It was a test of missed opportunities. A test of controversy. A test almost won, against all odds, by South Africa.
True to form Athletic Park in Wellington was a swamp on test day. The weather was heavy and overcast; the field was a mud bath after two days of sustained rain; a gale force, 50 mile per hour cold southern wind, was blowing to top it off. The Springboks -after their series defeat in Australia and one lost out off 8 matches in New Zealand- were given no change to win. Five of the Springboks in the test side played in the 1960 series against the All Blacks in South Africa, namely Lionel Wilson, John Gainsford, Keith Oxlee, Lofty Nel, and Abe Malan. Continue reading
The Gauteng Lions Rugby Union is holding a Gala Dinner, have a look at the Invitation below and book if you are interested.
All the talk of the referee blunders, the perception of unfairness, the targeting of the Springboks and the media circus with PDV has me thinking. Continue reading
Maybe this will help clear up some of the assumptions expressed in all rugby circles in South Africa and elsewhere, people assume Steyn does not want to play for his country and who knows what else.
The article below thanks to The Mercury
Rugby is a highly emotionally driven medium, but Springbok coach Peter de Villiers will do well to apply some sober thinking as he plans to fix what has gone wrong in the last 10 months. Continue reading
This article is the result off a shared attempt by myself and Superbul. Superbul came up with the idea and some original thoughts. However, I’ve added quite a bit and Superbul have not seen the final product so I’ll take the hits if you don’t agree with any opinions expressed.
Leaving, New Plymouth the Springboks crossed over to the South Island for the second time on tour and travelled down to the southernmost town in New Zealand, namely Invercargill to play against the regions representative team, Southland. The South Island is considered to be main land in New Zealand and more patriotic and enthusiastic rugby supporters are hard to find. The real New Zealand men or the hard men comes from the Deep South; the men with natural strength, endurance, and grit developed by manual labour in tough and uncompromising environmental conditions –cold, windy, and hilly with little luxuries. Continue reading
Jurie Roux, the senior director of finances and asset management at Stellenbosch University, was named the new chief executive of the South African Rugby Union (SARU) at a meeting of the organisation’s General Council on Friday. Roux’s appointment is expected to be confirmed shortly following the conclusion of contract negotiations.
The General Council accepted the recommendation of an independent interview panel.
With all the criticism Peter de Villiers and his coaching staff have received following the Tri-Nations tour I came across a very different view from a blogger called David. His assessment is unique to say the least and he does not muck around with niceties so be warned, this puppy is explosive! I recommend a PG16 rating for this one. Continue reading
Springbok coach Peter de Villiers was backed by the South African Rugby Union (SARU) on Thursday following his team’s dismal Tri-Nations tour.
Reuters
We had on Rugby-Talk people asking for our game plan to change. Yes totally. Play the running game drop the kicking game plan. Some came back later to say that our history was never this free for all running game. Read what Rob Houwing said in his article on News24.
One of the world’s most respected coaches says that Springoks have big problems with their form and that their captain John Smith is not up to standard.
South Africa’s third loss in as many weeks in the Tri-Nations means they now sit only 0.70 points above Australia in second place in the latest IRB world rankings. Continue reading
Three disasterous Tri-Nations Tests in Anzac and some terrible experimentation in the June Test window, and here we sit…. after a super Super 14 season where 2 South African Teams ruled the roost…
Is it time to wield the knives and chop a few heads in control of the Springboks?
Should Peter de Villiers (coach), Dick Muir (assistant coach), Gary Gold (assistant coach) and even our National captain, John Smit be told “You have reached the end of the road.”?
The Springboks made their South Island debut against Otago in their fourth tour match. Otago had a reputation of being tough opposition against the Springboks, on previous tours, and the Springboks approached them with the necessary respect and caution. Continue reading
It has been a frantic two weeks in rugby circles in the Southern Hemisphere and unfortunately for some South Africa has been in the midst of each storm, played by the media and in the media.
“Make a public apology or we won’t speak to you again.”
That is the ultimatum that the Springbok team have issued Australian TV company Fox Sports after coach Peter de Villiers was called a clown during the company’s rugby programme, The Rugby Club.
Continue reading
The Tri Nations have just begun and we’re already hearing stories about how tired and fatigued some of the Springboks are. Endless seasons for Smit, Matfield, Habana, du Preez, Spies, Botha, du Plessis… are finally taking their toll, the New Zealanders had rest, rotation and recuperation and were ridiculed for it? Graham Henry, Wayne Smith and Steve Hanson must be having a wee chuckle at the moment.
Continue reading
South Africa’s sixth Super rugby franchise the Southern Kings looks set to play in Super Rugby from 2013.
Reports suggest that the Super 15 – which kicks off in 2011 – will expand again in 2013 to a Super 16.